Safety-stirrup.



H. 00mm & A. BIRCH. SAFETY STIRRUP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2?. I9I4.

1, 1 86,65 1 I Pz ltented June 13, 1916. M

5 31 3;; i A/ZJO a again? I v lfi JjUZ/Q [W9 Wit nesses I Inventors wm% by I/ Attorneys THE COLUMBIA PLANOORAFM Cm, WAsmNu'MN, I). t.

HARDIN DOUTHITT AND AMBROSE BIRCH, OF VERTREES, KENTUCKY.

SAFETY-STIRRUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

Application filed November 27, 1914. 1 Serial No. 874,307.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARDIN DOUTHITT and AMBROSE BIRCH, citizens of the United States, residing at Vertrees, in the county of Hardin, State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Safety-Stirrup, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in safety stirrups, one object of the invention, being the provision of a stirrup composed of two sections, one section of which is hinged at the foot engaging portion thereof to the other section and having an over-lying portionwhich when the foot is in normal position causes the sections to be properly held to receive the weight of the rider, any abnormal position or movement outward causing the free section to swing and thus permit of the quick release of the foot, there being further provided a spring about the hinge that normally holds the sections together as a brace for the stirrup and such a spring in connection being protected from dirt and the like by the incasing flanges or members of the two sections.

A further object of the present invention, is the provision of a safety stirrup, which is easily applied to the saddle straps now in use, and which when properly assembled will permit of theproper reception of the foot of the rider but which under abnormal conditions due to accident, will permit the foot to be freed and thus prevent the stirrup from hanging to the foot and causing in ury to the rider.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention- In the drawings-Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the complete stirrup. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a bottom planview of the complete stirrup. Fig. 4 is a new sinnlar to Fig. 1 showing the sections parted.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals l and 2 designate the respective sections of the present stirrup, the section 1 of which is preferably made of cast metal so as to provide the curved bridging plate 3 and the two reinforcing flanges 4, the lower portion of the same being gradually increased in width to constitute as will presently appear in conjunction with the reinforcing ribs 9 of the section 2 a proper receptacle for the spring 11.

The reduced terminal of the section 1 through the flanges 4 is provided with the pin receiving opening 5, for the reception of the pin 6 which is adapted to be engaged by the saddle strap 7 so that the stirrup will be properly supported. It will be noted that the terminal carrying the pin 6 is disposed slightly beyond the center of the stirrup, so that the weight when placed normally in the stirrup will properly hold the sections 1 and 2 in the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The two sections 1 and 2 are pivotally connected by means of the pin 8, such pin 8 being disposed through the lower portions of the flanges 9, which in turn are formed in tegral with the bridging member 10, such flanges 9 as in the flanges 4 constituting a reinforcing member for the member 2 and also joining therewith to provide a casing or receptacle for protecting the spring 11 which is coiled upon the pin 8, with the terminals 12 and 13 projected in opposite directions for bearing upon the respective under sides of the bridging plates 3 and 10 of the respective members 1 and 2 so as to hold the section 2 in embracing relation as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be noted that by placing the hinging point 8 beyond the center of the stirrup that the terminal 9 of the section 2 will constitute the greatest portion of the foot receiving portion of the stirrup so that when the foot is in proper normal position, the tendency of the sections will be to assume the positions as shown in Fig. 1 regardless of the action of the spring 11.

The section 1 is provided with the portion 14 of the shoe receiving plate, the other portion 15 being carried upon the inner face of the section 2 and being consequently of greater length than the portion 14.

Although the pin 6 shows as a strap connection, an integral loop may be provided at such point to receive the strap 7.

It will be noted that both of the members 1 and 2 are channeled throughout their length, the bottom portion of the member 2 straddling the corresponding portion of the member 1, the shoe engaging plate 14.- on the member 1 being reduced to form a shoulder 14; against which the shoe engaging plate 15 of the member 2 abuts when the parts of the stirrup are in their normal positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be observed, furthermore, that under normal conditions the upper end of the member 2 rests within the upper end of the member 1 so that the two members are thus tied together at their upper and their lower ends against relative displacement due to forward or backward pressure against either one of the members. Then, too, by having the upper ends of the membersinterfitting as shown, no projecting 7 portions are left exposed on which portions of a garment might become hung.

What is claimed is:

1. A stirrup including opposed members channeled throughout their lengths and having bottom portions interfitting and pivotally connected, supporting means connected to the upper end portion of one of said members, both members normally interfitting at their upper ends, and yielding means housed Within the lower portions of the channels for holding the members normally closed together with their upper ends interfitting.

2. A stirrup including opposed members channeled throughout their lengths and havfitting, there being shoe engaging plates upon the inner faces of the respective members at the sides and bottoms thereof, one of said plates being reduced to form a shoulder detachably engaged by one end of the other plate..

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto affixed our signatures 1n the presence of two witnesses.

his HARDIN DOUTHITT.

mark AMBROSE BIRCH. Witnesses: B. T. EVANS, Lo'r'rm WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

